A law to "legalize" street protests in Myanmar
The rule proposed by the Minister of Interior and approved by the Lower House is now before Upper House of Parliament. Then it must be ratified by a committee, the majority of which puts the end of ethnic conflicts as a precondition. In Yangon 15 political prisoners on hunger strike concerned about the conditions of monk Ashin Gambira.
Yangon (AsiaNews / Agencies) – A bill making "peaceful demonstrations" legal is under review by the Burmese upper house of parliament, if approved - and ratified by the Audit Committee - the bill would have a historical significance for Myanmar: after decades of military rule, it would authorize public demonstrations of protest. The last time the democratic opposition and the monks took to the streets in September 2007 against the rising price of petrol, the army violently suppressed the "Saffron Revolution" causing several deaths and numerous arrests. However, the new "civilian" government - the result of the "sham" election of November 2010, orchestrated and supported by the military - continues to use an iron fist against protesters; yesterday, police stopped a protest by force street in Yangon, arresting four people. One hundred farmers had gathered in the morning to denounce the confiscation of their land and demand their restitution.
In late September, the Interior Minister Ko Ko sponsored a bill called “peaceful gathering and procession", approved October 3 by the lower house. Now the norm is before the second branch of the national parliament of Burma, but must overcome the resistance of a group of deputies, on the condition that they agree to end conflict with the ethnic rebels, in the Kachin and Shan States.
The parliamentary opposition - the main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) has no representatives because it refused to register during the 2010 election campaign - is requesting further loosening of restrictions. Thein Nyunt, former National Democratic Force (NDF) and now the National Democratic Party (NDP) has proposed four amendments to the law which at present prohibits slogans and requires the registration (in reality the opening of security files) of the protest leaders.
Upon Upper House approval, the bill would have to run the gauntlet of the Bill Committee, two-thirds members of t the governing party - a direct emanation of the army - the Union Solidarity and Development Party ( USDP). The USDP hawks inside the Committee clarify that the law can only be enacted "when peace is restored in all regions or states."
Despite the recent opening of the executive Burma, including the release of some political prisoners last week, decided in the context of a general amnesty by President Thein Sein, the conditions of those still in prison - at least 1700 - for "crimes of opinion" remain critical. Among these is a particular concern over the health of Buddhist monk Ashin Gambira, one of the leaders of the 2007revolt who is reported to be the victim of torture in jail.
To protest the terrible conditions in prison for political prisoners, 15 of them closed in the Insein prison in Yangon have begun a hunger strike. They are demanding their release, as with other prisoners in recent days.
In late September, the Interior Minister Ko Ko sponsored a bill called “peaceful gathering and procession", approved October 3 by the lower house. Now the norm is before the second branch of the national parliament of Burma, but must overcome the resistance of a group of deputies, on the condition that they agree to end conflict with the ethnic rebels, in the Kachin and Shan States.
The parliamentary opposition - the main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) has no representatives because it refused to register during the 2010 election campaign - is requesting further loosening of restrictions. Thein Nyunt, former National Democratic Force (NDF) and now the National Democratic Party (NDP) has proposed four amendments to the law which at present prohibits slogans and requires the registration (in reality the opening of security files) of the protest leaders.
Upon Upper House approval, the bill would have to run the gauntlet of the Bill Committee, two-thirds members of t the governing party - a direct emanation of the army - the Union Solidarity and Development Party ( USDP). The USDP hawks inside the Committee clarify that the law can only be enacted "when peace is restored in all regions or states."
Despite the recent opening of the executive Burma, including the release of some political prisoners last week, decided in the context of a general amnesty by President Thein Sein, the conditions of those still in prison - at least 1700 - for "crimes of opinion" remain critical. Among these is a particular concern over the health of Buddhist monk Ashin Gambira, one of the leaders of the 2007revolt who is reported to be the victim of torture in jail.
To protest the terrible conditions in prison for political prisoners, 15 of them closed in the Insein prison in Yangon have begun a hunger strike. They are demanding their release, as with other prisoners in recent days.
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